NBA 2K21, the sports game about basketball and microtransactions, added a fun new legacy feature recently – unskippable in-game ads.
Ads for the Oculus Quest 2, like the one shown in the video below, have apparently started appearing during 2K TV segments and the load screens that come up between matches in NBA 2K21. The ads can’t be skipped and they’re showing up on PC, PS4, and Xbox One versions of the game.
I wouldn’t be surprised if the load screens are also longer in order to accommodate the ads. Now, people are used to unskippable ads pitching up in free-to-play titles, they’re even used to unskippable ads pitching up in previous NBA games, but NBA 2K21 costs over R1,000 just for the Standard Edition, so it’s getting a bit much. Although, you guys do keep buying it…
It seems the only way to avoid the ads is to turn off 2K TV in the main menu settings.
Apparently 2K wasn’t paying attention when EA recently reversed its decision to include unskippable advertising during the after-match replays in EA Sports UFC 4, due to player backlash. Maybe the NBA fans’ souls are already too crushed by years of monetisation tactics to fight back (shame).
Via GameSpot.